This sophisticated kimono features large-scale camellia blossoms (tsubaki) in soft pink and white, their layered petals rendered with dimensional precision against a complex backdrop that combines sage green and golden yellow foliage with a deep burgundy ground. The underlying rinzu damask employs the classic sayagata pattern—an interlocking geometric design derived from ancient Chinese motifs—which creates a subtle textural foundation that adds visual depth without competing with the primary floral elements.
The technical execution demonstrates remarkable sophistication in silkscreen printing, allowing for the precise registration of multiple colors and the subtle gradations visible in both the flower petals and the variegated leaf tones. Camellias hold particular significance in Japanese culture as symbols of divine love, faithfulness, and the warrior's honor, while their winter blooming season associates them with resilience and enduring beauty. The dense, all-over patterning reflects the period's embrace of decorative abundance, moving away from the more restrained compositional approaches of earlier eras toward a maximalist aesthetic that would influence both domestic and international decorative arts.
This kimono represents the cultural confidence of Japan during the 1930s, when the country's textile industry had achieved technical parity with Western production methods while maintaining distinctively Japanese design vocabularies. The sophisticated color harmony—particularly the interplay between warm pinks and cool sage greens against the rich burgundy ground—demonstrates an advanced understanding of color theory that bridges traditional Japanese preferences for subtle tonal relationships with the bolder chromatic contrasts favored in contemporary international design movements, creating a textile that feels both authentically Japanese and thoroughly modern.
It measures 49 inches (124 cm) from sleeve-end to sleeve-end and stands at 58 inches (147 cm) tall.